Trump's New Acting Attorney General Served on the Advisory Board of a 'Scam' Patent Business

President Trump just named Matthew Whitaker as acting U.S. attorney general, replacing now-former Attorney General Jeff Sessions who “resigned” on Wednesday. A dive into Whitaker’s business affairs show he was, as of at least late 2014, involved in a business saddled with serious ethical complaints.

Back in 2014, a man named Scott J. Cooper started a business in Miami that claimed to help inventors turn their ideas into businesses by registering patents and helping with manufacturing. At least, that was the idea. According to a complaint filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Cooper’s business was what the FTC characterized as a “scam” that “bilked thousands of customers out of millions of dollars.” Whitaker, the new acting Attorney General, was on the advisory board of the company during at least part of the three years over which, according to the FTC, the so-called scam behavior took place.

To be clear: The FTC does not claim any wrongdoing specifically on Whitaker’s behalf, but his involvement with the company at the very least provides greater details about his private business relationships.

Cooper set up a website for what he called World Patent Marketing—a business where people could pay for a “global patent” and get help from Ivy League professors to commercialize their ideas. The only problem? There’s no such thing as a “global patent,” and the company simply made millions while leaving inventors with all but nothing, according to the FTC...

According to the FTC, World Patent Marketing didn’t actually secure any licensing or manufacturing agreements for its customers. In fact, the FTC notes in its complaint that virtually no one made their money back from World Patent Marketing, let alone made a profit from their patents.

Despite the business almost never delivering anything of value, World Patent Marketing would sometimes make an effort to create a logo or register an internet domain (what the FTC calls “inconsequential services”), which virtually anyone could do, even without patent expertise. After an initial phone call, consumers were encouraged to buy a $l,295 “Global Invention Royalty Analysis” before being pressured to spend even more money, according to the FTC. Packages are said to have cost anywhere from $7,995 to $64,995.

What did the company receive for providing these services? As much as $10 million since 2014, by the FTC’s estimates.

“These low-effort, low-value services may include: registering an internet domain name for one year; designing drawings, logos, brochures, and banners; and issuing a press release on the internet,” the FTC complaint reads. Most recently, the FTC ruled this past March that Scott Cooper was banned for life from doing business in patent marketing.

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And separately, two years ago, after then-FBI Director James Comey announced he would not recommend charges against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server, Whitaker penned an opinion piece for USA Today headlined "I would indict Hillary Clinton."

"Director Comey's judgment was that "no reasonable prosecutor" would bring the case. I disagree," Whitaker wrote. "I believe myself to have been a reasonable prosecutor, and when the facts and evidence show a criminal violation has been committed, the individuals involved should not dictate whether the case is prosecuted."

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And separately, two years ago, after then-FBI Director James Comey announced he would not recommend charges against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server, Whitaker penned an opinion piece for USA Today headlined "I would indict Hillary Clinton."

"Director Comey's judgment was that "no reasonable prosecutor" would bring the case. I disagree," Whitaker wrote. "I believe myself to have been a reasonable prosecutor, and when the facts and evidence show a criminal violation has been committed, the individuals involved should not dictate whether the case is prosecuted."

Oh, I like where this could be going! After firing Mueller, this hack can go after Sec. Clinton. Possibly the trials of Pres. Trump and Sec. Clinton could end up being held in adjacent courtrooms in NYC.

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